“I am not all that attracted to you.” At least she hadn’t completely lied and said she wasn’t attracted to him at all.
“You want me to prove otherwise?”
What was it with men always wanting to prove things when it came to sex? “No, thanks. That’s not necessary.”
“I think that it is.”
He’d said the words in a low, vibrating tone with a sexy rumble she wished she could ignore. But there was no way, what with all the shivers oozing down her spine. “Are you trying to scare me off, Gavin?”
He lifted a brow. “Scare you off?”
“Yes. Say all these things so I get angry enough to leave the ranch, sparing you the trouble of making a decision one way or the other about whether I can dig on your land or not.”
“Is that what you think?”
To be honest, she didn’t know what to think. She needed his land and all he had on his mind was sex. That made her wonder...
“Then are you trying to box me into a corner? Implying that I will have to sleep with you before you’ll give me permission to dig?”
Gavin shook his head. “I would never put pressure on you to sleep with me. But be forewarned, Layla. If you hang around here doing that dig, we will sleep together. There’s no way we won’t. Your own body will betray you. When it does, I will be ready for the opportunity.”
Seriously? If he thought her body would eventually weaken, he didn’t know her. And that was the point, one she couldn’t lose sight of. He didn’t know her. He didn’t know about her dedication when it came to her work. Nor did he know of her ability to be single-minded when it came to her career goals. She could put everything out of her mind except what was most important. She was driven to be successful in her field, and she wouldn’t let Gavin—or any other man—stand in her way.
He was pretty sure of himself where women were concerned. A man couldn’t look like him, be built like him, and not be in demand and get any woman he wanted. All Gavin had to do was snap his fingers and she figured the women came running. Being denied anything from a woman would be foreign to him.
“Think whatever you want, Gavin, but I’m not the kind of woman you’re used to. I won’t break.”
He rubbed his hand over his chin as he studied her. “Would you want to bet on that?”
Layla frowned. She had no intention of betting on anything and she proceeded to tell him that. He only smiled, and it was one of those smiles she was getting to know too well. The one that made her body sizzle when it should make her angry. His smile all but said he had her where he wanted her.
“Would you be willing to bet on it to guarantee your dig on the Silver Spurs?”
That piqued her interest. “Depending on what you have in mind.” She hoped she was not setting herself up for something she would regret.
* * *
Gavin held back his gotcha smile. Little did Layla know but his teammates didn’t call him Viper for nothing. To some, a viper might be considered a spiteful or treacherous person, but for him the name meant he knew how to capture his prey using any means necessary. Striking when they least expected it. He wanted her in his bed willingly and he intended to do whatever it took to get her there. It was time to push his agenda.
“I’m willing to make a deal, Layla.”
“What sort of a deal?” She held his gaze.
Did she know how beautiful her facial features were? How striking her bone structure? He could sit for hours and stare, taking her in. But doing so would make him want her even more than he already did. Before he’d met her, he couldn’t have imagined that degree of need for any woman. But he could imagine it for her.
He lifted his shoulder in a half shrug as if what he was about to say wasn’t of grave importance. As if he really didn’t care one way or the other if she took the deal or left it on the table.
“I’m not as convinced about this buried loot as you and my grandmother seem to be,” he said. “And I doubt reading any report will make me change my mind. But wanting you in my bed will,” he said bluntly, needing her to fully understand what he was saying.
“This is the deal,” he continued. “I will let you dig, regardless of what I think. If you find something, great. You will have proven me wrong. I will be happy for you. Be the first to congratulate you on a job well done. However, if you come up with nothing then you admit you want me as much as I want you and we sleep together.”
“You are counting on me failing? And plan to take advantage of me if I do?”
The thought was firing her up. He could tell. The flash of fire in her eyes told it all. “You shouldn’t worry about failing. Unless you think you will. If there’s some doubt in your mind regarding the accuracy of your research, then I understand if—”
“My research is on point. There’s no doubt in my mind about anything.”
His smile spread across his lips. “In that case, do we have a deal?”
At that moment Layla realized just what was going on. Whether it was his intent or not, Gavin was forcing her to believe in herself, to prove that she was right in her belief that Jesse James had buried treasure on Gavin’s land.
“Well?”
The determination was clear in his eyes. He intended to sleep with her. She was just as determined that he wouldn’t. She didn’t like the deal he’d offered. In all honesty, she should be appalled by it. Instead she saw it as her chance to prove she was above the desire he couldn’t stop talking about. She would find Jesse James’s loot. She had no doubts. There was no need getting irritated that he was a typical male who thought a good roll between the sheets was the answer to everything. She would never be able to convince him that when it came to sex, she had always been able to take it or leave it, no matter how tempting it was to indulge. He would find that out for himself.
She’d be free to run her dig and make the finding of not only her career but of a lifetime. She wouldn’t think about the traitorous voice that said it might be nice to lose this bet and get the consolation prize...
“Fine.”
He lifted his brow. “Does that mean you accept the deal?”
“As long as you give me your word you won’t try to hinder me and my team in any way.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Yeah. Right. There was no reason for her to trust he wouldn’t do just about anything to make sure the result worked out in his favor. Another typical male trait. No man liked losing. “Whatever you say.”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
Layla rolled her eyes. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t know you enough to trust you.”
“I can remedy that.”
“Don’t do me any favors.” Layla eased out of her chair, feeling like she’d mentally run a marathon. “So will you give me your word as a SEAL that you won’t try anything underhanded?”
“You think my word as a SEAL means something?”
“Yes. SEALs are a special team of men who take the job of protecting our country very seriously, and they live by a code of honor and integrity.”
Gavin nodded. She was right. “And you know this how?”
“My father’s cousin used to be a SEAL. He retired a few years ago, but he told us all about them. At least what he could share. A lot of the stuff he did was